In the morning, the breathers woke up, got the mindless undead shuffling, walking, and floating along; and ate a cold breakfast.

“Going to leave yours behind to loot the campsite?” a classmate mocked Edward. He was the same one who had been teasing him the day before.

“I want you all to mark that one's undead. They will probably find themselves uncontrolled sometime in the next week. We will put them down or, even better, sell them before that.” All anyone else heard was Edward's ghoul moaning.

“Hear that, he's disappointed you didn't leave him behind!”

“Scratch that. His undead are definitely going ownerless soon. Note which are his. We don't want any accidents when that happens.”

Just before lunchtime, they came upon a large, cobbled and fenced field, covered in undead. The necromancers directed their followers inside and continued down the road.

“Okay, home sweet home.” The old ghoul chuckled. “Everyone meet up in the middle. We have new friends today!” Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Alanso Hubbard, the as yet unnamed skeleton, and the old ghoul walked to the middle of the large field of undead. There they found a clearing with a dozen undead relaxing in a circle. The newcomers noticed a slight resistance as they reached the edge of the clearing. It was enough to notice, but not slow them down at all. They joined the group in the center. The circle expanded. The old ghoul addressed them:

“Well, this is it. That was the last field trip before graduation. Edward is going to finish in about a month. His plan is to turn you all over to the State and find somewhere where he can have a quiet life of accounting and music. He's not planning on continuing his necromantic studies. Clearly, that's not what is going to happen. For one thing, his plans are more of a wish list. He has no concrete details – job offers, home, income – to make this happen. For another thing, he doesn't know about you. And most importantly, he doesn't know that I have signed him up for an independent study quest starting as soon as he graduates!” The dozen undead that could speak cheered. “We do have a few things to wrap up here though. I need you to educate your new companions on everything. Teach them how to set the wards you have around this clearing and how to clear them. Show them their new powers. Those who can, share your spells with our new members. Get to know them and let them know you. You are an adventuring party. I need you to start acting like one.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Also, some of you might remember Justin. He's the kid in my young man's class that just loves to pick on him. For a variety of reasons, I can't let him graduate. I'd like his undead – all of them, no mistakes here – gathered up in a small corral on the edge. We're going to sell them off in three days. I'll bring a buyer. A day or two after that, young master Justin will have an accident. You four,” he pointed to the four undead that he walked in with, “learn from these people. Five weeks from now, we will be on the road again and we'll introduce ourselves to Edward properly!”

Three days later, a distinguished gentleman and two, somehow disreputable looking people showed up at the edge of the field. “There, as promised!” the gentleman said. “Twenty, low end, undead minions. I'll be wanting five gold total for the lot, then they are yours.”

“How do we know they are yours to sell?”

“I'll give you control as soon as you give the money. That's how you will know.” The gentleman could tell that this wasn't going to convince his buyers. “Here.” He gestured and the undead stopped milling about and lined up in four rows of five. “Convinced?”

They handed him the gold. He transferred control to them and briskly walked away.

A day later, Justin fell from the bell tower on campus. Local officials noted that no undead became uncontrolled after the necromancer died. As this spoke to the premeditated nature of his action, it was ruled a suicide. The family agreed to let him join the military as an unbreathing conscript.

Two days before graduation, to his initial confusion and despair, Edward was informed by the College of Necromancy that he had been awarded one of the coveted Independent Study Quests. He was to investigate near the village of Sterling. There had been a slow but increasing trickle of undead attacking the village.

Graduation came, and his whole family showed up.